Cape Breton woman grateful for stranger's donation of new car
'The whole experience has been the worst, best experience of my life,' says Barbara MacDonald
A Cape Breton woman whose car burst into flames last month says she can't get over the kindness of strangers after someone gave her a car, for free, after hearing her story on CBC News.
Barbara MacDonald's car was destroyed by fire at the end of May. Itburst into flames early in the morning while it was parked on the side of a road in Sydney. No one was in the car at the time.
The car was wrecked, leaving only a burnt-out frame behind.
That left MacDonald with no way to get around.
"I work full time, I have to be able to get to work, you can't go out to lunch with friends, you can't pick up your grand kids and take them home, you can't do the simplest things."
Things changed after CBC News aired MacDonald's story.
A radio listener stepped up and gave her a car, for free, just to help her out.
Now, she's the proud owner of a red 2002 Toyota Echo.
MacDonald said the car means the world to her.
"He asked me not to use his name, he said he wasn't doing it for that reason. But I really, really want to thank him, he knows who he is. I am so grateful, I am absolutely blown away, I am so grateful for your generosity and you really, really helped me out," she said.
MacDonald said it would have taken her all summer to save up enough money to buy even a $3,000 used car.
"It made me feel so happy and I didn't have time to process the bad news that my other car had burned. It was gone, I had nothing. I just didn't even have time to process that, before this wonderful thing happened to me.
"As soon as I can, I plan to pay it forward because I am just overwhelmed by his generosity."
MacDonald said police still aren't sure how how her first car caught fire.
She said they've narrowed it down to two possibilities, either it was some kind of electrical fire or someone intentionally torched the car.
Despite the unanswered questions, MacDonald said she's happy with how things turned out.
"The whole experience has been the worst, best experience of my life."